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OpenEye releases Docking TK software to develop new docking tools

OpenEye Scientific Software, Inc. the developer of innovative molecular modeling and cheminformatics solutions for drug discovery, announces the first release of the Docking TK as part of the OpenEye Toolkit v1.7.4 release.

25 Aug 2010

OpenEye Scientific Software releases SZYBKI 1.5.0 optimization application for molecular structures

OpenEye Scientific Software, Inc., the developer of innovative molecular modeling and cheminformatics solutions for drug discovery, announces the release of SZYBKI 1.5.0, the company's molecular structure optimization application.

19 Aug 2010

BAC, Octapharma enter licence agreement for G-CSF CaptureSelect custom affinity ligand

BAC BV, the leading provider of antibody-based affinity purification technology, today announced that it has entered into a licence agreement with Octapharma (Lachen, Switzerland), an independent, global provider of human proteins for life-threatening diseases.

17 Aug 2010

Researchers find link between chronic inflammation and cancer

Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center researchers have uncovered a new link between chronic inflammation and cancer. Although cancers do not always cause inflammation, chronic inflammation is known to help tumor cells grow.

17 Aug 2010

KemPharm receives patent for LAT prodrug technology for Attention Deficit – Hyperactivity Disorder treatment

KemPharm, Inc. announced today that it has received a Notice of Issuance from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for its patent application entitled "Polar Hydrophilic Prodrugs of Amphetamine and Other Stimulants and Processes for Making and Using the Same", U.S. Patent No. 7,772,222. This patent protects broad aspects of the Company's core Ligand Activated Therapy (LAT) prodrug technology platform and its application to the treatment of Attention Deficit – Hyperactivity Disorder.

16 Aug 2010

Ohio State University procures IonFlux 16 high throughput automated patch clamp instrument

Fluxion Biosciences, Inc. announced today that the Ohio State University Department of Pharmacology has purchased the IonFlux 16, the first high throughput automated patch clamp instrument of its kind geared towards the academic researcher. The IonFlux instrument will enable large scale pharmacology experiments on this group's nAChR targets, which previously were not feasible using a manual patch clamp rig.

From Fluxion Biosciences 11 Aug 2010

Curis announces preliminary results of GDC-0449 Phase II clinical trial in advanced ovarian cancer

Curis, Inc., a drug development company seeking to develop next generation targeted small molecule drug candidates for cancer treatment, today announced that it has received preliminary results from a Phase II clinical trial of GDC-0449 from Roche and Genentech, Curis' collaborator and a member of the Roche Group.

9 Aug 2010

Ligand second-quarter net loss reduces to $0.3 million

Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated today announced financial results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2010 and provided an update on key programs.

5 Aug 2010

Amplimmune collaborates with GSK to develop PD-1 targeting therapies

Amplimmune, Inc. today announced that it has entered into a broad strategic alliance with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) to further develop PD-1 targeting therapies that may be effective in the treatment of cancer and other diseases. GSK will obtain exclusive worldwide rights to AMP-224 as well as other potential next generation fusion proteins that target PD-1.

5 Aug 2010

Scientists discover technique for more controlled lab experiments on cellular mechanobiology

Bioengineers at the University of Pennsylvania have created a system to control the flexibility of the substrate surfaces on which cells are grown without changing the surface properties, providing a technique for more controlled lab experiments on cellular mechanobiology, an important step in the scientific effort to understand how cells sense and respond to mechanical forces in their environment.

2 Aug 2010

CD74 can serve as prognostic marker for colorectal cancer

CD74 is a protein that is expressed in and on cells of the immune system, such as B lymphocytes and antigen presenting cells. This protein is known for its function in facilitating antigen presentation enabling the immune response. Additionally, Professor Shachar's lab has previously shown that CD74 serves as a survival receptor on cells of the immune system, and that its stimulation by its natural ligand -migration inhibitory factor (MIF)- prevents apoptosis (self destruction) of these cells. It was shown that CD74 is markedly expressed on numerous tumors - hematologic as well as epithelial, and can serve as a prognostic marker. CD74's expression and function on colon intestinal epithelial cells is controversial.

31 Jul 2010

Regeneron second-quarter total revenues increase to $115.9 million

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced financial and operating results for the second quarter of 2010. The Company reported a net loss of $25.5 million, or $0.31 per share (basic and diluted), for the second quarter of 2010 compared with a net loss of $14.9 million, or $0.19 per share (basic and diluted), for the second quarter of 2009.

28 Jul 2010

New mechanism that drives development of B-lymphocytes in bone marrow discovered

Scientists from the Department of Molecular Immunology, Institute of Biology III, Faculty of Biology and the Centre for Biological Signalling Studies, BIOSS have discovered a new mechanism that drives the development of B-lymphocytes in our bone marrow. B-lymphocytes are an important part of our immune system. Upon their activation they produce the antibodies protecting us from infections.

17 Jul 2010

Amgen granted FDA priority review designation for denosumab BLA

Amgen today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted priority review designation to denosumab, a subcutaneous RANK Ligand inhibitor, for the treatment of bone metastases to reduce skeletal related events (SREs) in patients with cancer.

17 Jul 2010

Ligand Pharmaceuticals announces launch of redesigned Web site

Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated announces the launch of its completely redesigned Web site: www.ligand.com. The new Web site is designed as a comprehensive resource for investors, prospective corporate partners and the life science community to learn more about Ligand's business model, robust pipeline, high-profile partnerships and innovative technology.

15 Jul 2010

Trevena completes $35M Series B financing

Trevena, Inc., the leader in discovery and development of G-protein coupled receptor biased ligands, announced today that it has completed a $35 million Series B financing. Existing investors Polaris Venture Partners and New Enterprise Associates led the round, with all other existing Trevena investors - Alta Partners, Healthcare Ventures and Yasuda Enterprise Development Company - also participating in the financing.

14 Jul 2010

Trigger that induces B cells to produce early, effective antibody response discovered

Researchers at National Jewish Health have discovered a trigger that induces B cells to produce effective and long-lived antibodies early in the immune response. They found that a molecule that binds toll-like receptors doubles the early antibody response to an antigen, and shifts it to a more effective, IgG form.

7 Jul 2010

Sirnaomics receives NIH SBIR grants to advance siRNA therapeutics for critical human diseases

Sirnaomics, Inc. announced today that the company has received two SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) grants from National Cancer Institute (NCI) and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), of National Institute of Health (NIH). Sirnaomics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company founded in early 2007, is dedicated to developing RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics for treatment of critical human diseases.

30 Jun 2010

Importance of cell-cell communication in ischaemia

A team from the Bristol Heart Institute have investigated the importance of cell-cell communication in regulating the formation of new blood vessels following the restriction in blood supply to the heart or back leg in mice.

29 Jun 2010

LEAPS vaccine technology generates dendritic cells to stimulate immune system to fight viral illnesses

CEL-SCI Corporation and researchers at the Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy (NEOUCOM) jointly announced today that a LEAPS-based vaccine (Ligand Epitope Antigen Presentation System) study has demonstrated the technology's potential using dendritic cells to stimulate the immune system to fight viral illnesses and other diseases.